IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

ACIDS

BASES

Sour in taste

Bitter in taste

Dissolve in water to release H+ ions

Dissolve in water to release OH- ions

Donates a proton

Accepts a proton

Chemical formula usually starts with

H in the beginning.
Example HCl
Exception is Acetic Acid CH3COOH
(vinegar)
Can sting the skin when touched

Chemical formula usually ends with

OH. Example NaOH
Feels soapy on the skin

pH value less than 7

pH value greater than 7

INDICATORS
INDICATORS

ORIGINAL COLOUR

COLOUR CHANGE
WITH ACIDS

COLOUR CHANGE
WITH BASES

Red Litmus
Blue Litmus
Phenolphthalein

Red
Blue
Colourless

No change
Red
No change

Blue
No change
Pink

Methyl Orange
Turmeric
China rose water

Orange
Yellow

Yellow
Reddish brown

Pink

Red
No change
Dark pink
(Magenta)

Red cabbage
juice
Onion

Purple

Red

Greenish yellow

No change

Smell vanishes

No change

Smell vanishes

Vanilla

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Green

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IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

Litmus paper is extracted from lichen; a plant belonging to the division

Thallophyta
Has a mauve colour in distilled water
When added to an acidic solution it turns red
When added to basic solution it turns blue
Used in the form of paper strips of blue and red litmus paper
Other indicators: Coloured petals of flowers such as Hydrangea, Petunia,
Geranium

pH SCALE
Potential of Hydrogen
Negative logarithm(base 10) of concentration of H+
An increase or decrease of an integer value changes the concentration
tenfold
A pH of 3 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 4
A pH of 3 is one hundred times more acidic than a pH of 5
A pH of 11 is ten times more basic than a pH of 10.

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IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

pH 7 Distilled water
o It is neutral
o Neither acidic nor basic
pH less than 7 Acidic
pH more than 7 Basic
pH can be determined to the accuracy of 0.5 through pH paper having
four strips
pH meters can measure to an accuracy of 0.001

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IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

Buffer solution resists changes in pH on addition of small quantities of
acids or bases.

NEUTRALISATION REACTION
Acids and bases react with each other to produce salt and water
Neutral salt: Strong acid and strong base make neutral salt. pH value is 7
Acidic salt: Formed by strong acid and weak base. pH value is less than 7
Basic salt: Formed by weak acid and strong base. pH value is more than 7
Neutralization reaction are usually exothermic

COMPOUND

Common Salt

Bleaching
Powder

Baking Soda

Washing Soda

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CHEMICAL
FORMULA

NaCl

USES
Important material for making
Sodium Hydroxide,
Baking Soda,
Washing Soda,
Bleaching Powder etc.

CaOCl2

NaHCO3

Used as antacid,
Making baking powder,
As fire extinguisher

Na2CO3.10H2O

Bleaching cotton,
linen,
wood pulp,
Disinfecting drinking water,
Oxidising agent in industries

Cleansing agent,
Removes permanent hardness of
water,
Making glass, soap and paper
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IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

Plaster of Paris

CaSO4H2O

Plastering of fractured bone,

Decoration,
Making toys

APPLICATIONS OF NEUTRALISATION REACTION

FIELD

USE

EXPLANATION

To treat acidic soil

Lime fertilisers such as powdered

lime, limestone, CaCO3 or ashes of
burnt wood are added to the soil
to neutralise its acidity

To treat basic soil

Can be treated by using a compost

of rotting vegetables or leaves.
Acidic gas from the decomposition
of compost neutralises the alkalis
in basic soils

To treat acidic
effluents

It is treated by adding lime to

neutralise it before it is discharged
into rivers and streams

To treat acidic gas

The burning fossil fuels will

liberate sulphur dioxide gas as an
acidic pollutant in the air.Hence,
power stations treat this acidic gas
using powdered lime, CaO or
limestone, CaCO3to neutralise it
so that air pollution can be
prevented.

AGRICULTURE

INDUSTRIES

HEALTH

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To prevent
coagulation of Latex

Ammonia solution, NH4OH, can

neutralise the acid (lactic acid)
produced by bacteria in the latex

To treat gastric
patients

Anti-acids are medicines

containing bases to neutralise the
excess acid in the stomach
Wasp stings are alkaline in
nature.Vinegar is used to cure
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IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

To treat wasp stings

wasp stings because vinegar can

neutralise the stings

Bee stings and ant bites are acidic

To treat bee+antSting in nature. They can be neutralises
using alkaline medicine such as
baking powder.

To prevent tooth
decay

MISCELLANEOUS

Shampoo

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Decaying food particles in our

teeth produces acid and cause
tooth decay.Using toothpaste
during brushing helps to
neutralise the acid and preventing
tooth decay since toothpaste is
alkaline in nature
Shampoos are mild alkaline which
make your hair unmanageable.
To solve the problem you used
hair conditioner.
Hair conditioners are mild acid.
When used, the acidity in the hair
conditioner will neutralise the
alkali and cause the scales to close
up

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IASbabas ILP: Value Add- ACIDS AND BASES

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